Winchester

Man jailed for 14 years for attacking Winchester taxi driver

A Winchester taxi driver was attacked by his own brother with a knife in an attempted murder.

Ajab Khalil has repeatedly refused to explain the reason for the unprovoked attack in Southampton and has been jailed for 14 years.

Sangar Khan, a self-employed cabbie, told Winchester Crown Court of the desperate struggle as he tried to fend off Khalil before housemates saved him.

Mr Khan suffered several wounds in the frenzied assault by Ajab Khahil, 30, a heavy cannabis user, the trial heard.

The six-man and six-woman jury took three hours on Wednesday to unanimously convict Khalil of attempted murder.

Sentencing, the judge, Mr Justice Royce, described Khalil as a very dangerous man.

He said: “Why you did what you did remains a mystery. When you were a child he (Mr Khan) played a prominent part in bringing you up after your father died early. He showed you nothing but kindness and help.”

Khalil, an illegal immigrant, refused to speak to police, give instructions to his barristers or evidence at the trial. He did finally concede to his counsel Matthew Jewell that he was drunk and been heavily using cannabis.

The court heard that Mr Khan, who works out of Winchester, is now anxious, scared and suffers occasional nightmares. He can only work six hours a day because of ongoing pain.

The judge said: “He is worried about his brother coming back even if he is deported and not knowing why his brother should attempt to kill him.

“He regards you as a very dangerous person. He fears that if you are released it will not stop you coming after him as you have demonstrated ability to get back into this country notwithstanding you have been deported.”

The trial heard Khalil had arrived at Mr Khan's home in Clovelly Road, St Mary's, last summer after time in a detention centre. He had earlier been living in Denmark, the court heard.

Nick Tucker, prosecuting, said that as housemates rushed to help, Khalil said: “Let me go. I want to kill him.”

Mr Khan told the jury: “I went to sleep and the next thing I know he was stabbing me. I see the knife by my nose. I just thought I was dreaming. I'm asking 'why, why are you doing this?'

“He stabbed me in the nose, the side of my head, the ear, my back, my thigh. He was stabbing me again and again, aiming for my heart. I grabbed hold of the knife and cut my finger. I kicked him in the chest. I was screaming and shouting. He was swapping the knife from hand to hand “Then one of my friends, Mohammed Khan, came in. I thought an angel had come to save me. He held my brother, he restrained him. There were three of us struggling for the knife. My friend hit his (Khalil's) hand against the wall and he dropped the knife.”

The trial had to be suspended for 15 minutes after Mr Khan broke down in tears.

Mr Khan said his brother had been acting strangely in the days leading up to the attack, pacing around, talking to himself. He suggested Khalil was angry with him because he had spent time in a detention centre.

After the attack Mr Khan was taken to Southampton General Hospital and needed several stitches to numerous, mainly superficial, wounds. Mr Tucker said: “The fact the victim's wounds were not life threatening was simply fortuitous.”

A psychiatric report said Khalil was not suffering from mental illness.

The court heard Kahlil, a Pakistani, will be deported on his release from prison. He also ordered he pay a £120 victim surcharge.